> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 30, 2011 03:41 PM

Scott has previously said that he thinks Perry will ultimately jump in the race for President, but he said he hasn't actively encouraged him to do so.

"I’ve not encouraged anyone to get in the race for president," he said.

All of the Republican presidential candidates have reached out to Scott thus far, but he has not endorsed any of them. Scott said he thinks the ultimate winner will be whoever can persuade the voters that he or she has the best plan to get the economy turned around in the future.

Scott, state officials watching D.C. to figure out state impact in debt ceiling talks

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 30, 2011 03:31 PM

TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Rick Scott said Saturday that reducing spending should be what Washington lawmakers are focused on as it moves closer to the Aug. 2 deadline in the debt ceiling talks, but reiterated that the state is in a relatively strong position because it was able to pass a balanced budget.

"We have a balanced budget, we are not increasing our debt, so that's a positive," he told reporters Saturday after an event at the governor's mansion.

But state officials are still monitoring the situation in D.C. closely so they can prepare for what could be a widespread impact on services and the ability of local governments to borrow money. Moody's warned local 177 local governments -- including Broward and Palm Beach Counties -- that they might downgrade their credit ratings as part of the nationwide downgrade sparked by the federal crisis.

But how exactly it will affect public services is unknown. Analysts have speculated that checks issued by the government that pay for critical services may come to a halt at least briefly if lawmakers cannot come to a resolution.

They haven't said exactly if they don't raise the debt ceiling, what things they're not going to pay," Scott said. "You would think that they would continue to pay the things people are relying on. Social security, making sure our military's being paid, things like that."

Shelisha Coleman, a spokeswoman for the Agency for Health Care Administration, said earlier this week that the agency was closely monitoring the situation and how it may impact the state's health services, but that it was too early to comment on what exactly may or may not happen.

Scott, social conservatives gather for ceremonial signing of abortion measures

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 30, 2011 03:08 PM

TALLAHASSEE-- Gov. Rick Scott campaigned as the jobs governor, but Saturday afternoon, he spent an hour catering to the social conservative crowd, holding a ceremonial signing for four anti-abortion measures that are already Florida law.

"During my campaign and since I've been governor, I've made it very clear that I was and I am pro-life," Scott said.

The four measures are actually already law though, having passed the Legislature this spring and almost immediately receiving Scott's signature. House Bill 1127 requires that women seeking an abortion first have an ultrasound; HB 1247 tightens parental notification laws for teens seeking to terminate a pregnancy; HB 97 prohibits the use of state funds to pay for abortions; and HB 501 sends funds from the "Choose Life" license plate to Choose Life, Inc., instead of local governments, which previously used the funds for adoption or other pregnancy counseling services.

During Scott's campaign for governor, social issues took a back seat to his job creation plans, which he touted at every stop. He said he was pro-choice when asked, but did not make it a major part of his public appearances. He was also attacked by primary opponent Bill McCollum in a mailer that said Scott profited from abortions because the hospital chain he ran performed the procedure.

Scott may be trying to sure up his base though. Various polls have put his job approval numbers anywhere from 29 percent to 45 percent and showcasing an emotional social issue may be one way to rally his base voters.

The governor during the event was flanked by some of the Legislature's most conservative members who sponsored the legislation, while lobbyists for several social conservative and church groups, sat watching. After the event, the governor said that even though the new measures were already law, it was important for many of the stakeholders to memorialize the new laws.

"So this, for these bills, a lot of these people have worked on these bills for years and years and years, so it's a way for them to celebrate that they've gotten this accomplished," Scott said.

All of the measures were extremely controversial during the Legislature's 60-day session this spring and Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida have said they would consider lawsuits. However, thus far, none have been filed.

July 29, 2011

Vet affairs will put out new list of names for Hall of Fame

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 29, 2011 06:08 PM

Tallahassee — The Florida Department of Veterans Affairs sought to distance the Scott administration from its list of controversial names that it had initially put forth to be the first class of people inducted into the newly created Veterans Hall of Fame.

“The working draft in circulation does not reflect the direction of the Governor nor Cabinet, read a statement sent out by the department. :We appreciate and welcome as much public input as possible, and we will finalize the list after taking the time to carefully consider each submission. The military veterans and heroes inducted into our state’s Veterans’ Hall of Fame should and will be names that Floridians are proud to call our own.”

Yesterday, news hit that the first list was to include six governors who served in the Confederate Army – one of them convicted of intimidating black citizens, and Gov. Rick Scott, who served in the Navy. The list immediately generated criticism from state Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, about the message it sent to put Confederate soldiers among the first class of inductees. The state Democratic Party also questioned why Scott was on the list.

Scott’s former chief of staff, Mike Prendergast, is the new head of the department.

Scott and the Cabinet were initially slated to vote on the approval of the list of names at an Aug. 2 Cabinet meeting, but that agenda item has been withdrawn according to the Cabinet website.

Parts of election law will get court , not DOJ, review

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 29, 2011 06:07 PM

Tallahassee – Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning has asked a federal court to review the state’s new election law, sidestepping the Obama administration’s examination of the most controversial pieces of the law that was a major priority for the GOP-led Legislature and signed by Gov. Rick Scott.

Critics of the new law have been lobbying the U.S. Justice Department to invalidate the new law, saying it disenfranchises voters, particularly women and minorities. The American Civil Liberties Union is challenging part of the law in court and Rev. Jesse Jackson held rallies in Florida this past week in protest of the bill.

Browning, who served under former Gov. Charlie Crist and was reappointed by Scott, said in a news release that that he was withdrawing four portions of the law from the DOJ review and instead letting the court evaluate them

“The purpose of filing in the federal district court is to ensure that the changes to Florida’s election law are judged on their merits by eliminating the risk of a ruling impacted by outside influence,” Browning said in the release. “Since the passage of HB 1355, we have seen misinformation surrounding the bill increase. By asking a court to rule on certain aspects of the bill, we are assured of a neutral evaluation based on the facts.”

Legislation affecting voting must get federal approval because five counties in the state -- Collier, Hardee, Hendry, Hillsborough and Monroe -- face extra scrutiny under the Voting Rights Act. States can either submit the legislation to the Justice Department or to the federal district court in Washington D.C.

The sections of the Florida law that will now go before the court involve changes to the time in which third party registration groups are required to submit voter registration cards, adjustments to petition signature verification, the discontinuation of changing your registration at the polling place and modifications to the time allowed for early voting. The remaining 76 sections of the law will still undergo the DOJ review.

Howard Simon, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, accused the state of making the move simply out of fear that the law would be invalidated. The law is already in effect for the remaining 62 counties.

“By making this move, the Governor has exposed the taxpayers to a much longer, more costly legal fight to defend his indefensible Voter Suppression law,” Simon said in a release.” It’s should be as clear as ever that they will spend whatever it takes and do whatever they can to restrict the right to vote and stack the deck for the 2012 election and beyond.”

Dem flack Jotkoff bidding adieu to state party job

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 29, 2011 02:13 PM

Tallahassee– Democratic Party spokesman Eric Jotkoff, known around the state capital for his constant hounding of reporters through various forms of media, is stepping down from his job at the spokesman for the state party.

“Over the next few weeks, I will be taking some time off to relax and recharge before announcing my future plans,” he said in an e-mail. “I look forward to spending several weeks without having my Blackberry basically surgically attached to my hand because I won’t need to respond to the scandal de jour.”

In a subsequent conversation, Jotkoff said he plans to spend his first day off at the beach and to leave his Blackberry in the car.

July 28, 2011

Will West turn the tide on Boehner debt plan?

> Posted by William Gibson on July 28, 2011 03:45 PM

Though known more for confrontation than compromise, South Florida Congressman Allen West is helping secure House passage of a deficit-reduction plan initially opposed by some fellow conservatives.

West, a Republican from Plantation, forcefully backs House Speaker John Boehner’s two-step plan to cut spending and raise the debt ceiling, which appears to be gathering support among Republicans. The plan will likely pass the House on Thursday evening, though the vote may be close.

Allen West

“Everyone keeps talking about the `radical tea party freshman' – and that’s what everyone has labeled me as,” West said in an interview. “But look, there are things in this (Boehner plan) that I don’t like and I don’t agree with, but this is a plan I’m supporting.”

West and Boehner call it a compromise plan, though it is opposed by most Democrats.

South Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Weston Democrat, called it a “dead-on-arrival bill” that would cut government programs for senior citizens and the poor while sparing the wealthy and corporations. Senate Democratic leaders are intent on killing it.

Ironically, the Boehner plan is also opposed by some of the most conservative Republicans who say it does not go nearly far enough to staunch the national debt.

West is playing an influential and conciliatory role among Republican freshmen who were backed by the tea party movement. Several gathered at a press conference outside the Capitol to say they will vote for the Boehner bill though it is far from perfect.

“All of us have to work within the reality that Democrats still run Washington,” said Martha Roby, a Republican from Alabama.

West, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, put the matter in military terms.

“If you try to over-plan and put together the 100-percent solution, guess what, the enemy has already attacked and beaten you while you were sitting around planning,” he said. “So let’s get the good strong 70- to 75-percent plan, go out and execute it very well, and that’s what we have with the Boehner plan.”

Scott names director for new jobs department

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 28, 2011 01:39 PM

Tallahassee -- Gov. Rick Scott named former Alex Sink staffer Doug Darling as the head of the new Department of Economic Opportunity, his office announced Thursday.

Darling, who currently serves as deputy chief of staff and director of cabinet affairs for the governor, also worked at the Department of Education, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Financial Services under Sink. He resigned as chief of the state Division of Accounting and Auditing after an outside audit revealed a lack of internal controls in the department.

“As we work to make Florida the best place for businesses to grow, expand and create jobs, I am confident in Doug’s ability to lead our efforts to streamline existing economic development functions into one agency,” Scott said in a release. “Along with Commerce Secretary Gray Swoope, the Department of Economic Opportunity with Doug Darling at the helm will help our state create jobs for Floridians.”

Scott also named Cynthia Lorenzo, currently serving as the interim director of Agency for Workforce Innovation, the permanent director. She also held that position under Gov. Charlie Crist.

Additionally, Mike Hansen, most recently the staff director for the Florida Senate’s Budget Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, was named the new director for the Agency for Persons With Disabilities.

July 27, 2011

Wasserman Schultz decries GOP use of movie clip

> Posted by William Gibson on July 27, 2011 05:52 PM

A movie clip used to fire up Republicans during a showdown over deficit-reduction sparked an outcry on Wednesday from Debbie Wasserman Schultz and other Democrats.

Republicans viewed the clip at a closed-door meeting on Tuesday to forge a united front during negotiations with Democrats and President Barack Obama.

Wasserman Schultz -- a congresswoman from Weston and leader of the Democratic National Committee – said the tone of the clip demonstrated Republican refusal to compromise and prevent economic disaster.

“Now is the time for compromise, not for pain,” she said at a press conference.

Congressman Allen West, a Republican from Plantation, scoffed at her objections.

"Tell them to get a life," West said in an interview. "We can’t even look at a clip of a movie? Tell them to come up with a plan about this debt ceiling instead of worrying about us looking at the clip of a movie."

The segment from “The Town” depicts a couple of bank robbers preparing to beat up another character.

“I need your help,” one robber says. “I can’t tell you what it is, you can never ask me about it later. And we’re going to hurt some people.”

“Whose car are we gonna take,” the other character replies.

West stood up at the Republican meeting and said, “I’m ready to drive the car.”

But West surprised some fellow Republicans by fully endorsing a proposal for resolving the confrontation – a two-step plan promoted by House Speaker John Boehner for reducing spending and raising the debt ceiling.

West said on Wednesday he was offering to push Boehner's plan, which he sees as a compromise.

"I don’t see what’s wrong with that," he said. "We were talking in a metaphorical sense. I told the speaker I’ll drive the car."

Since he first came to Congress in January, West said he does not want the nation to default on its financial obligations.

He has not been shy along the way about criticizing Obama, and he lashed out at Wasserman Schultz last week after she chided him on the House floor for backing Medicare cuts.

When asked about West’s remark at the Republican meeting, Wasserman Schultz declined to comment except to say, “I think he’s done a good job speaking for himself.”

Sarasota group pushing to ax disclosure laws for issue campaigns

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 27, 2011 03:42 PM

Tallahassee- A group of Sarasota residents asked a federal judge Wednesday to toss a campaign finance law that requires them to disclose their contributors, saying it is a violation of free speech.

U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle heard more than an hour of arguments from the Institute for Justice, a Libertarian law firm representing the group of Sarasota residents, and the Department of State, which was arguing that the law should be upheld.

Paul Sherman, the lawyer for the plaintiffs, argued that grass root advocacy groups shouldn't have to comply with some of the same campaign advertising restrictions imposed on bigger political groups. The case started when the group of residents tried to run radio ads against a constitutional amendment on growth management last year that didn't have the required campaign commercial disclaimers.

Grass root" advocacy groups are challenging registration requirements in the state's campaign finance laws, saying they shouldn't have to comply with the same campaign advertising restrictions that are required for bigger political groups. The Institute of Justice argues that restrictions on campaign advertising are a violation of politically active citizens' free speech rights. The case started when the group tried to run radio ads against a constitutional amendment last year that didn't have the required disclaimers.

The case only applies to campaigns related to ballot initiatives, not candidates for office.

"It was just ordinary people coming together to speak out spontaneously against an issue they care about," Sherman said.

Ashley Davis, a lawyer for the state, said that the complaint should be dismissed and that the state's campaign finance disclosure requirements were minimal, but critical so that the public could know who was lobbying on a given topic.

"Plaintiffs want to raise other people's money and lobby against a proposed constitutional amendment," she said.

Throughout the hearing, Hinkle asked more pointed questions of Sherman, specifically asking about the potential for corruption. Hinkle said he will likely not issue a ruling immediately because of a heavy criminal docket currently on his agenda, but promised to rule before the November 2012 cycle, when the next round of proposed constitutional amendments are on the ballot.

Cuba grants landing rights for Tampa flights

> Posted by William Gibson on July 27, 2011 03:35 PM

Central Florida passengers will be able to visit Cuba without going through Miami or Fort Lauderdale airports because of a decision announced on Wednesday providing landing rights for nonstop flights from Tampa.

A charter airline company operating at Tampa International Airport received belated permission from the Cuban government, clearing the way for direct, nonstop flights as early as September.

“This is the last piece of the puzzle,” said Congresswoman Kathy Castor, a Democrat from Tampa, who has pushed hard for Tampa-to-Cuba trips.

“The Tampa Bay region has one of the highest Cuban-American populations in this country, but for too long families have had to travel to Miami in order to get to Cuba,” Castor said. “They have had to spend extra money for hotel rooms and plane tickets to do so, making an already expensive journey even more cumbersome.”

Airports in Miami, New York and Los Angeles have been making nonstop flights to Cuba for years, mostly serving Cuban-Americans, journalists and others with special reasons to visit the island.

The Obama administration announced a rules change in January to allow more U.S. airports to make nonstop flights to Cuba as part of a people-to-people initiative. The new rules also loosened travel restrictions by allowing cultural, educational and religious groups to sponsor visits without seeking permission with each trip.

U.S. law still forbids general-purpose tourism to the island. Cuban-American members of Congress strongly oppose looser travel rules for fear that more trips will put more money in the hands of the Castro regime.

Airports in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers and some other cities took advantage of the opportunity and are gearing up for charter flights. For reasons unknown to Castor and other boosters, Cuba has been slow to grant landing rights to the Tampa airport.

The breakthrough came this week.

“ABC Charters is proud to facilitate the reunification of the Cuban-American families in Tampa and the adjoining areas,” said Tessie Aral, president of ABC Charters. “They no longer will need to drive several hours to Miami so they can visit their families in Cuba.”

Rooney: If default, don’t pay Congress

> Posted by William Gibson on July 27, 2011 12:23 PM

Members of Congress should not get paid if the nation defaults on its financial obligations, South Florida Congressman Tom Rooney said on Wednesday.

Jim Cooper

Rooney, a Republican from Tequesta, co-sponsored a bill called “Stop Pay for Members Act” that would prohibit members from receiving pay during a default and would not allow them to get paid retroactively.

“Congress needs to do its job,” Rooney said, “but if August 3 rolls around and there’s still no deal, then we absolutely should not get paid.”

If the debt ceiling is not increased by Aug. 2, the Treasury Department would have to choose which payments to make using the limited revenue available. The Stop Pay Act would place members of the House and Senate last on the list.

The main sponsor of the bill is a “blue dog” Democrat, Jim Cooper of Tennessee.

Rooney and 55 fellow members also have urged the Obama administration to put a priority on making interest payments on the national debt, paying military personnel and making Social Security and Medicare payments. Those fellow members include Florida Republicans Sandy Adams of Orlando, Dan Webster of Winter Garden, Bill Posey of Rockledge and Richard Nugent of Spring Hill.

Fla primary date is still a looming issue

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 27, 2011 12:07 PM

Tallahassee -- In a 20 minute conference call on a new Republican ad hitting the airwaves, Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus and Republican Party of Florida Chair David Bitner said they are working together for a "win-win" in setting Florida's primary date even though state lawmakers have suggested they want to go before other traditional early states.

"The chairman has been very interested in trying to find a solution where we can have a win-win and he’s been very cooperative," Bitner said.

But Florida could still risk losing some of its delegates if it breaks from the RNC's calendar.

"Our rules that say if you violate the calendar, you lose half your delegates at the national convention," Priebus said.

Florida's primary date will be set by a 10-member committee by Oct. 1, but so far nobody has been named to serve on the committee. The 10 members are to include three each appointed by the governor, House Speaker and Senate President, while the secretary of state is a non-voting member.

The group must pick a primary date between the first Tuesday in January and the first Tuesday in March by the Oct. 1 deadline. A spokeswoman for House Speaker Dean Cannon has said previously that the Speaker would likely name members to the committee in late summer or early fall.

In 2008, Florida held a Jan. 31 primary, the first big state to do so. The move led both parties to threaten to strip the state of its convention delegates. That threat was enough to dissuade Democrats from contesting the primary, though John McCain was able to parlay his win on the Republican side to the GOP nomination. And in the end, both parties seated the state’s delegates. The RNC has renewed its threat this year to strip Florida of its delegates if it picks a date that’s too early.

July 26, 2011

Callers deluge Florida members on debt clash

> Posted by William Gibson on July 26, 2011 12:05 PM

Phone lines to Capitol Hill were flooded on Tuesday when thousands of constituents called and e-mailed Florida members of Congress urging a resolution of debt-reduction talks before the nation defaults on its obligations.

The usual trickle of calls turned into a steady stream at the Washington office of U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta. The calls and messages are about equally divided between those who are concerned about getting Social Security and Medicare checks next month and those who “are adamant that we address the national debt and out-of-control deficit,” said spokesman Michael Mahaffey.

“For the most part, people want us to reach an agreement here. Nobody wants a default,” Mahaffey said. “They are divided on the best way to do that.”

Attempts to reach the main line of several lawmakers throughout the morning were meet with busy signals. And many members saw their websites crash in response.

“We’re getting hundreds of calls today on the president’s speech last night,” said Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson. “Most folks just want Congress to act. I agree. I think the president was right in saying both political parties bear responsibility for running up the federal debt.”

“I’m confident,” he added, “there will be enough votes in Congress now to avert a government shutdown with passage of more than $2.5 trillion in savings and spending cuts - none of which would impact Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security.”

Boca group raises alarm on Muslim Brotherhood

> Posted by William Gibson on July 26, 2011 10:50 AM

Nearly 6,000 people and 200 groups associated with the Muslim Brotherhood have “infiltrated” this country with the aim of destabilizing the government and waging a homegrown holy war, according to a Boca Raton-based security research group.

The Citizens for National Security issued its warnings at a Capitol Hill briefing to a room full of staff members, students and skeptics.

Peter Leitner

The group handed out a brief report naming a few dozen individuals who have been indicted or convicted of terrorist-related acts from 2001 to 2010 and includes charts depicting a link between various Islamic groups and the Muslim Brotherhood, a faction in the Middle East bent on removing foreign domination of Islamic nations, primarily Egypt.

However, the group’s summary does not spell out evidence to establish these links or the existence of a network bent on terrorism.

Any such evidence and a database of suspects will be turned over to appropriate law enforcement authorities, said Peter Leitner, a former Pentagon strategist who led the briefing.

South Florida Congressman Allen West introduced the group and urged fellow members and staff to become more aware of “homegrown jihad.”

“We cannot ignore the fact that al Qaida is actively attempting to recruit individuals living within the Muslim American community to commit acts of terror,” said West, R-Plantation. “This threat is real."

Skeptics in the crowd and in Florida questioned whether warnings of this kind would only raise public fears and prompt retaliatory violence, such as the bombing attack in Norway last week. The suspect in Norway believed he was waging a Christian crusade against multiculturalism in Europe, according to his attorney.

“This (security group’s warning) seems awfully alarmist. It sounds like McCarthyism all over again,” said Ali Elhajj, director of the Middle East Peace Initiative in Orlando.

Leitner said he can only reveal real threats and could not be responsible for the acts of a “lunatic,” like the one in Norway.

He urged U.S. officials to add the Muslim Brotherhood and affiliated organizations to the State Department’s state terrorist exclusion list.

“This war on America and American civilization is real,” Leitner said.

July 25, 2011

Ann & Rick Scott talk NASCAR, FDLE agents and Kool Beanz

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 25, 2011 02:31 PM

TALLAHASSEE -- Ann and Rick Scott have lived in Tallahassee for about seven months now following the governor's inauguration in January, moving their daily lives from Naples, Fla. to the state's capital.

But they're also trying to adjust to life in Tallahassee. Here are some of the answers to our questions that didn't make it into stories from an interview the couple gave the Sentinel/Sun-Sentinel.

Ann Scott on whether she is used to life in the mansion: It took a little while to get adjusted to, just having everyone around. Actually you start feeling when you have some privacy when everyone’s gone. I think so now. It was actually better than I even remembered it. They [the staff] had tried to make it feel a little more like home. I had sent some personal photos and some accessories of ours and some art.

Rick Scott on the coolest event he's hosted or person he's had to dinner: Well we had a NASCAR event a couple of weeks ago. I got to enjoy Joey Logano's car. I got to sit in it and start it up.

On their favorite Tallahassee eateries so far: Ann Scott is a fan of Sage Restaurant, an upscale restaurant in northern Tallahassee. The couple tried out Mom and Dad's, a popular Italian restaurant recently and Rick Scott stopped by Kool Beanz, an eclectic gourmet restaurant while his wife was in Naples for a week. She told him he has to go back so she can try it.
On how often have they been to their home in Naples since Scott took office: "We’ve only been to Naples maybe once a month if that," the governor said. Ann added, that the couple has "moved so much throughout our marriage that we end up adjusting pretty quickly. I just always told the girls that home is where you are."

Ann Scott on the big differences in her life now: I definitely sleep sounder, but that’s not weird—knowing the FDLE is downstairs and at our house in Naples. Everyone here is so easy to get along with. It’s a real team effort. [The staff members] try to make everything very comfortable for us. Life gets very busy and they try to make life as easy on us.

The Scotts tried working out at a large Tallahassee gym when they first moved to town but soon realized they should buy exercise equipment for the mansion if they wanted to get a work out in.

Ann Scott: I was on the elliptical and he was on a rowing machine and I looked over and there were two lobbyists on either side of him talking his ear off.

Click here for a photo gallery from an exclusive tour given to the Sentinel/Sun-Sentinel by the first couple.

Also, in case you missed it, here's a Q and A with the governor about some of his top policy priorities.

July 22, 2011

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 22, 2011 05:42 PM

Tallahassee-- Attorney General Pam Bondi has asked a federal court not to consider an amicus brief filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida in the so-called docs v. glocks case.

According to the brief by the attorney general's office, the friend-of-the-court brief should have been filed at an earlier stage and not while the court was already considering the preliminary injunction. Bondi's office said it has no objection to the brief being considered during a full case on the merits though.

"Consideration of the ACLU’s brief at this point affords an unfair advantage because the ACLU – which belatedly filed its motion far out of time – has had the full benefit of seeing everyone’s hand before playing its own cards," the brief said.

The new law, pushed by the National Rifle Association, restricts doctors from asking about gun ownership unless it directly pertains to a patient’s care. The medical community lobbied heavily against the measure, which originally sought to ban any questioning about guns.

The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and several medical groups sued for a permanent injunction to block implementation of the law shortly after the bill was signed into law. The ACLU and several children advocacy groups later filed an amicus brief supporting the Brady Center.

Wasserman Schultz touts Obama Hispanic ad

> Posted by William Gibson on July 22, 2011 12:51 PM

South Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz unveiled a Spanish-language TV ad on Friday designed to shore up Hispanic voter support for President Obama in Florida, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Washington, DC.

Polls and other signs indicate that Hispanic voters have lost enthusiasm for Obama since his election in 2008, partly because he has not brought about immigration reform. Republican-aligned groups, meanwhile, have courted Hispanic voters with their own ad campaign.

Wasserman Schultz told reporters that Obama has tried to enact reform but has been blocked by Republicans in Congress.

“Since day one, immigration reform has been a priority for this president,” she said.

She stressed Democratic efforts to expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and student loan programs.

The ad will run in Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Reno, Las Vegas, Denver, Albuquerque and DC.

July 21, 2011

No work, nominees yet for presidential primary committee

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 21, 2011 06:16 PM

Tallahassee-- This spring, lawmakers passed a new comprehensive elections law package that created a presidential primary committee that would choose the date of Florida's primary for the 2012 presidential election by Oct. 1.

The committee is to contain 10 people. One non-voting member is the secretary of state and then the governor, House Speaker and Senate President each get three appointees.

But so far, nobody has been named to serve on the committee.

A spokeswoman for House Speaker Dean Cannon said the speaker would likely not name anyone to the committee until late summer or early fall.

"We are currently monitoring the decisions made by other states with regard to their dates," said Cannon spokeswoman Katie Betta. "Ultimately, Speaker Cannon supports choosing a date that will allow Florida to remain a relevant player in the process. For him, that requires selecting a date that is both early and unique to Florida. We will have a better picture of what that date might be as other states begin to make their decisions."

The group will pick a primary date between the first Tuesday in January and the first Tuesday in March by the Oct. 1 deadline, but some elections supervisors have previously expressed concern about not knowing the date earlier in the year and it compressing the time they have to prepare for the primary, which typically generates a higher turnout of voters.

In 2008, the state held a Jan. 31 primary ahead of other large states like New York and California. The move led the Democratic National Committee to strip the state of some of its delegates. The Republican National Committee has previously said Florida could lose some of its delegates if it moves forward with an early primary date.

West and Wasserman Schultz won’t make up

> Posted by William Gibson on July 21, 2011 02:22 PM

Residual bickering on Thursday between House colleagues Allen West and Debbie Wasserman Schultz shows that these two political foes are never likely to reconcile.

West, a Republican from Plantation, told FOX Business Network’s Stuart Varney it was time for him to “stand up and defend my honor and make sure that this type of activity does cease.” An apology to Wasserman-Schultz “is not happening,” he said.

Allen West and Debbie Wasserman Schultz

He had no regrets for calling Wasserman Schultz vile and cowardly after she chastised him on the House floor for supporting plans to cut Medicare.

“There are certain ways we speak in the military, and I guess I have not learned the D.C. insider talk that these people are used to,” West’ said. “Don’t poke me in the chest. That’s the bottom line to that exchange.”

Wasserman Schultz wasn’t backing down either.

“If he can't handle that pressure, can't handle being called out in debate on the House floor, then he probably should change his position (on Medicare),” Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat from Weston, said on CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer” on Wednesday night.

Wasserman Schultz said she would appreciate an apology but clearly didn’t expect one.

The on-going exchanges have entered the arena of the media circus while serving as a fundraising tool for West and for Florida Democrats.

It’s another blow to the traditional bipartisan comity and cooperation among Florida members of Congress.

That tradition was already badly strained by the partisan polarization within the state and across the nation. The Florida delegation for several years has been split by issues that once united it, notably offshore oil drilling.

This stormy episode clouds prospects for reviving that bipartisan tradition.

Allen West warns of Muslim Brotherhood `infiltration’

> Posted by William Gibson on July 21, 2011 12:49 PM

South Florida Congressman Allen West has invited his colleagues to a Capitol Hill briefing that promises to reveal the “infiltration” of the Muslim Brotherhood and thousands of its allies throughout the United States.

William Saxton

The briefing set for Monday springs from a report by the Citizens for National Security, a Boca Raton-based group that claims extensive expertise on defense, intelligence and terrorism.

The group plans to name names and raise the specter of a vast network dedicated to waging a Jihad, or holy war.

“It details exactly how the Muslim Brotherhood’s deliberate, premeditated plan is now reaching maturity in this country in the form of homegrown Jihad,” said William Saxton, chairman of Citizens for National Security.

West, accused by some critics of stoking public fears against Islam, has long warned against the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood, a faction in the Middle East bent on removing foreign domination of Islamic nations, primarily Egypt.

July 20, 2011

Altman doesn't hate all of the FEA lawsuit

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 20, 2011 05:41 PM

Tallahassee- A proposed constitutional amendment regarding public funds being used by religious groups came under attack today when the Florida Education Association sued to block the state from putting the amendment on the ballot, but the amendment sponsor actually agrees with the part of the lawsuit.

Sen. Thad Altman, R-Viera, sponsored a constitutional amendment that would remove a century-old ban on public aid to religious institutions. The FEA called it a pathway to vouchers and filed suit in Leon County Circuit Court. But the lawsuit challenges not only the amendment, but also a new law that gives the state Attorney General the power to rewrite ballot language if the state Supreme Court believes it doesn't meet constitutional muster.

"Ironically, I support them. I agreed with [that part of the suit]," Altman told the Sun-Sentinel/Orlando Sentinel. "I voted against giving the attorney general that authority. I thought it should only be the legislature. I voted against that provision."

Altman still backs his proposed amendment, the crux of the FEA's suit, echoing comments from other supporters of the amendment that it was not simply about vouchers, but about protecting groups from religious discrimination.

"I’ve always said this is not about vouchers," he said. "It’s certainly not the primary reason. It’s about religious freedom. It’s about putting our constitution in the same framework as the U.S. Constitution."

Dems turn West snit into fundraiser

> Posted by William Gibson on July 20, 2011 03:06 PM

Democrats have seized upon Allen West’s angry response to fellow House member Debbie Wasserman Schultz as an opportunity to raise money to try to defeat him next year.

Congressman Allen West

“As we work towards making the lives of Floridians better -- in the midst of people like Allen West who try to block progress with angry rants and temper tantrums -- we need your help,” Florida Democratic Chairman Rod Smith told prospective donors on Wednesday.

Democrats have targeted West in next year’s elections, but they will have to raise a lot of campaign cash to win the money race. West, a Republican from Plantation, reported raising $1.5 million in the second quarter, drawing support from around the country.

West drew Democratic fire after accusing Wasserman Schultz on Tuesday of being “the most vile, unprofessional and despicable member of the U.S. House of Representatives” after she chastised him for supporting a budget bill that would cut Medicare funding.

West’s Democratic challengers also chimed in on Wednesday.

Patrick Murphy, a Fort Lauderdale businessman, said West "has demonstrated unusually bizarre behavior, showing himself to be truly unhinged and incapable of controlling himself.”

Lois Frankel, the former West Palm Beach mayor, said: "Congressman West owes an apology to every woman who’s been told to `shut up’ and sit quietly in the corner…”

West -- whose penchant for politically incorrect comments appeal to many voters -- made clear he will not hesitate to respond to insults.

The SBA Scott bashed in 2010 was posting a banner year

> Posted by Aaron Deslatte on July 20, 2011 01:38 PM

TALLAHASSEE -- Republican Gov. Rick Scott last year made a major campaign issue out of Democrat Alex Sink's oversight of the State Board of Administration, which in turn, oversees the Florida Retirement System. The pension plan was losing money, unable to pay its bills long-term, Scott's argument went.

On Wednesday, the SBA released it's year-in-review report, declaring last year was the best for the FRS in more than two decades.

Here's the release:

Tallahassee, FL – The Florida State Board of Administration released preliminary figures for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011 showing the FRS Pension Plan posting a return of 22.0 percent, beating its benchmark by 30 basis points and ending the fiscal year with a market value of $128.42 billion. This is an increase of $19.07 billion above 2010 figures after net distributions of $4.6 billion to retirees and is reported on the heels of the 14.0% gain last year.

The fiscal year-end returns confirm that the FRS Pension Plan has implemented a solid investment strategy for the nearly 1,000,000 beneficiaries of the plan and kept costs low for the nearly 1,000 participating employers. The preliminary return represents the best performance of the past 25 years in absolute terms, on top of the all-time best above-benchmark return the SBA earned last year. According to the most recent analysis completed by CEM Benchmarking, a globally recognized company providing pension comparison services, the all-in cost for managing the FRS Pension Plan was 32 basis points (0.32%), the third lowest within FRS Pension Plan’s peer group, and nearly 40% lower than that of the median pension plan.

“This year’s performance is a reflection of how the SBA conducts its business; we’re prudent, we’re disciplined, and we’re patient,” Ash Williams, Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer for the SBA said. “By staying the course and being able to use strong partnerships to take advantage of market opportunities, the fiscal year-end figure represents a rebound of more than $54 billion from the recent low of $83.3 billion just 27 months earlier.”

The FRS Investment Plan, the optional retirement plan for public employees, also posted year-end gains. With over 136,500 participants, the plan grew to a year-end record $6.738 billion, representing an increase of $1.688 billion more than this time last year. Returns for the FRS Investment Plan were 18.10%, beating its benchmark by 87 basis points. During the fiscal year 9,960, or 24.9% of new hires elected the Investment Plan, and 8,312 Pension Plan members switched to the Investment Plan.

Florida PRIME ended the fiscal year with $6,822,641,152 in deposits. The figure represents an increase of $1.34 billion above the pool’s value at the same time last year, and a 24.5% growth rate in assets under management. Florida PRIME is an exclusive service for Florida governmental organizations, providing a cost-effective investment vehicle for their surplus funds. Florida PRIME’s investment objective consists of three parts which, in priority order, are safety, liquidity, and competitive returns with minimization of risks.

Former legislator Dawson arrested in Daytona Beach

> Posted by Aaron Deslatte on July 20, 2011 01:37 PM

By Paula McMahon and Jon Burstein, Sun Sentinel

Former South Florida state legislator Mandy Dawson was arrested Wednesday on a federal income tax charge, and she is scheduled to go before a judge in Orlando later today for her initial court appearance.

The allegations are a troubling epilogue to the 16-year political career of the groundbreaking politician. Broward County's first black woman in the state Legislature, she came to be known as a champion of the poor and the medically needy, serving six years in the state House followed by a decade in the state Senate. Dawson, a Democrat whose district stretched from Fort Lauderdale to Palm Beach Gardens, was pushed out of office in 2008 by term limits.

Some criminal charge against Dawson had long been expected since federal investigators have been examining her dealings since at least 2009.

Dawson, 55, now lives in Daytona Beach, where she was picked up Wednesday morning.

Report cites Florida’s `toxic air pollution’

> Posted by William Gibson on July 20, 2011 11:52 AM

Though known for its relatively clean air and water, Florida is one of the worst states for toxic air pollution from coal- and oil-fired power plants, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The environmental group said Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida top the list for this form of pollution.

The group’s report is designed to help persuade members of Congress to toughen rather than weaken anti-pollution safeguards.

"Tougher standards are long overdue. Members of Congress who consider blocking toxic pollution safeguards should understand that this literally will cost American children and families their health and lives,” said Dan Lashof, the group’s climate center director.

Using EPA data, the group rated the “Toxic 20” states from worst to best. They are:

Adam Hasner goes 'candid, unscripted'

> Posted by Aaron Deslatte on July 20, 2011 10:11 AM

TALLAHASSEE -- Now that one of the big fish has left the Republican U.S. Senate primary, former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner is trying to contrast himself with his co-front-runner (if there is such a thing), former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux.

The vehicle: a video shoot where Hasner can bare his soul, described by the campaign as "a candid, unscripted conversation directly with Florida voters." Look for more of these.

FEA, religious leaders sue state over religion amendment

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 20, 2011 09:48 AM

TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida Education Association, joined by other school administrators and religious leaders, filed suit in a Tallahassee court Wednesday challenging a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow state funds to go to religious institutions.

The amendment, called the Blaine Amendment, could pave the way to put more state funds toward private school vouchers.

“This is a shady way of opening the door for school vouchers for all,” said Florida Education Association (FEA) President Andy Ford. “Throughout the nation, voters have repeatedly rejected voucher initiatives, which would weaken our public schools. The leadership of the Legislature realized this, so they approved an amendment whose ballot title, “Religious Freedom,” and summary are misleading.”

Joining the FEA in the suit is Lee Swift of Punta Gorda, president of the Florida School Boards Association and a member of the Charlotte County School Board; Susan Summers-Persis of Ormond Beach, president of the Florida Association of School Administrators; Rabbi Merrill Shapiro, the Rabbi of Temple Shalom in Deltona; Rev. Kent Siladi of Rockledge, Conference Minister for the Florida Conference of the United Church of Christ; the Rev. Harry Parrott of Clay County, a retired Baptist minister; the Rev. Harold Brockus of St. Petersburg, a retired pastor of a Pinellas Park church affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA and the United Church of Christ; Rabbi Jack Romberg of Temple Israel in Tallahassee; and the Rev. Bobby Musengwa, pastor of Maximo Presbyterian Church in St. Petersburg.

The Anti-Defamation League also put out a statement saying that it would also act as legal counsel to the parties suing the state.

“Both the name of the ballot title and the way the amendment is explained to voters are misleading,” said David Barkey, ADL Religious Freedom Counsel. “The ballot title is a complete misnomer – it’s like comparing apples to oranges. But many voters may innocently support the amendment thinking it expands religious freedom when it really harms it. The ballot summary also erroneously suggests that the U.S. Constitution requires it, or the amendment is needed to make Florida’s Constitution consistent with the U.S. Constitution. This is absolutely not true” said Barkey.

July 19, 2011

West and Wasserman Schultz clash

> Posted by William Gibson on July 19, 2011 07:56 PM

A long-stranding clash between South Florida House members Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Allen West turned to insults on Tuesday after an exchange of speeches on a debt-reduction bill.

Wasserman Schultz chastised West on the House floor for supporting a bill that would cut Medicare and other spending.

"The gentleman from Florida. who represents thousands of Medicare beneficiaries, as do I, is supportive of this plan that would increase costs for Medicare beneficiaries -- unbelievable from a member from South Florida," said Wasserman-Schultz, a Democrat from Weston.

West, a Republican from Plantation who lives in Wasserman Schultz’ district, responded with an e-mail to her and House leaders: “Look, Debbie, I understand that after I departed the House floor you directed your floor speech comments directly towards me. Let me make myself perfectly clear, you want a personal fight, I am happy to oblige.

“You are the most vile, unprofessional and despicable member of the U.S. House of Representatives. If you have something to say to me, stop being a coward and say it to my face, otherwise, shut the heck up. Focus on your own congressional district!”

West said her behavior “dates back to the disgusting protest you ordered at my campaign headquarters, October 2010 in Deerfield Beach.”

He was referring to a demonstration by Wasserman Schultz and others outside West’s campaign headquarters, claiming West showed insensitivity by writing a political column in a local biker magazine that includes pictures and articles that they said disrespected women.

Jonathan Beeton, communications director for Wasserman Schultz, responded: "I don't think that Congressman West is upset at the congresswoman, but rather with the fact that she highlighted that he and other Republicans are once again trying to balance the budget on the backs of seniors, children and the middle class."

Is it `Cut, Cap, Balance’ or `Duck, Dodge, Dismantle’?

> Posted by William Gibson on July 19, 2011 05:00 PM

South Florida Republicans rallied around a tea-party-inspired budget bill in the U.S. House on Tuesday that would dramatically slash government spending and set in motion a balanced-budget amendment.

Congressman Tom Rooney, a Republican from Tequesta who co-sponsored the bill, called it “a recipe to get our country back on track and show the world America remains that great shining city on the Hill.”

Tom Rooney

President Obama threatened to veto the bill, and Democrats scorned it, calling the debate a waste of time since it will never emerge from the Senate.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat from Weston, dubbed the bill “Duck, Dodge and Dismantle,” saying it would mean deep cuts to Medicare and other programs.

The bill would cut $111 billion of spending in fiscal 2012 and about $5.8 trillion over ten years, cap spending to below 20 percent of the Gross Domestic Product and start the process for a balanced-budget amendment.

The House bill gives Republicans a chance to show they are at least trying to enact conservative causes and fulfill campaign promises.

It will almost certainly pass the House and die in the Senate, paving the way for a budget deal.

In an interview, Wasserman Schultz said she would vote for a balanced bill to reduce the national debt.

“What I could support,” she said, “is making sure that there’s a balanced program that ensures that we aren’t piling all the pain on one group -- on children, on seniors. We need a balance that ensures we have both revenue and cuts.”

Groups line up in support of blocking new gun law

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 19, 2011 02:45 PM

The American Civil Liberties Union and several children's groups have filed an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court supporting a request to put a stop to a new law that limits a medical provider's ability to ask about a patient's gun ownership.

“Restricting what people say because the state thinks the subject is out of bounds is profoundly un-American and a violation of freedom of speech,” said Howard Simon, Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida in a press release. “Because asking about guns is disfavored by some politicians does not justify gagging doctors and limiting information about protecting children.”

The new law, pushed by the National Rifle Association, restricts doctors from asking about gun ownership unless it directly pertains to a patient's care. The medical community lobbied heavily against the measure, which originally sought to ban any questioning about guns.

The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and several medical groups sued for a permanent injunction to block implementation of the law shortly after the bill was signed into law.

“At its heart this is about giving children the fullest chance to live long and good lives,” said David Lawrence Jr., president of The Early Childhood Initiative Foundation, in the release. “What could be more important than children having the fullest possible chance to be safe?”

> Posted by William Gibson on July 19, 2011 01:32 PM

Florida officials hope to cut health-care costs by turning an HMO pilot project in Broward and other counties into a statewide program. State officials are seeking waivers from federal officials to carry out the plan.

Florida CHAIN, a health-care advocacy group, sent a letter backed by 107 Florida-based organizations to federal Medicaid officials urging them to reject the waiver.

“Over 100 organizations representing doctors, nurses, congregations, families, and workers are adding to a growing chorus of Floridians who oppose jeopardizing access to critical health services for our poorest seniors in nursing homes, children, and persons with disabilities, leaving their care in the hands of profit-driven plans,” said Laura Goodhue, executive director of Florida CHAIN.

The letter claims the plan would fail to protect low-income children, pregnant women, senior citizens and people with disabilities

July 18, 2011

Rubio to address CPAC in Orlando

> Posted by William Gibson on July 18, 2011 05:14 PM

Billed as a rising star, Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio was named among featured speakers at the Conservative Political Action Conference set for Sept. 23 in Orlando.

Al Cardenas

South Florida Congressman Allen West was the star of the show in February when he delivered the keynote address at the CPAC gathering in Washington. Organizers had hoped to hear from Sarah Palin, but she had a scheduling conflict, so the group turned to West, a Republican from Plantation and very much a tea party favorite.

Al Cardenas -- former Florida Republican chairman and now chairman of the American Conservative Union -- said “Rubio’s tremendous victory in 2010 was a powerful symbol of the surging conservative movement in America.”

The CPAC meeting at the Orange County Convention Center promises to bring conservative leaders and grassroots activists together for a day of policy discussions and networking opportunities on shared principles of smaller government, a strong national defense and traditional values.

Presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are expected to address the group.

Allen West serves up burgers and a message

> Posted by William Gibson on July 18, 2011 12:46 PM

Donning a red hat and apron, South Florida Congressman Allen West served burgers and a political message over the weekend while feeding more than 30 participants in a Big Brothers and Big Sisters program in Fort Lauderdale.

It was West’s way of calling attention to a new business in town, with more than 40 employees, during a time of high unemployment. The Plantation Republican has sponsored legislation in the U.S. House that would provide a tax credit for small businesses that hire the unemployed.

“We must promote policies that remove the barriers for growth, reduce regulatory and tax burdens and eliminate uncertainty about how legislation will affect plans for future growth,” West said.

The event was also a way for Five Guys Burgers and Fries to call attention to a new franchise in town while treating some youngsters in the community.

“We’re just happy we’re able to open and create jobs,” Store Manager Toral Leathers said. Five Guys also plans a new location in West’s hometown of Plantation.

Nelson shrugs; Scott regrets Haridopolos withdrawal

> Posted by William Gibson on July 18, 2011 11:30 AM

Mike Haridopolos' withdrawal from the U.S. Senate race brought a shrug from incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson and words of regret from conservative Governor Rick Scott.

Mike Haridopolos

“As I’ve said a bunch of times before, the election is a long ways off," Nelson said on Facebook. "Right now I’m just focused on doing my job. Come Election Day, if folks like the job I’ve done, the politics will take care of itself. “

The Cook Political Report rates the Florida Senate race "leaning" to Nelson.

Scott was sorry to see a fellow conservative Republican drop out of the race.

“Anytime a statewide race loses a principled conservative like Mike Haridopolos in a race of this importance, it is a sad day for our state," the governor said. "He was a great help to me during the legislative session as we put steps in place to turn Florida’s economy around and get Floridians back to work.”

Haridopolos said he couldn't effectively do his job as state Senate president and run for the U.S. Senate at the same time. His campaign appeared to falter when two staff members quit and fund-raising dropped.

Nelson still faces other Republican challengers: former U.S. Senator George LeMieux, former state Representative Adam Hasner, Winter Park businessman Craig Miller and retired Army Col. Mike McCalister.

Haridopolos quits U.S. Senate race

> Posted by Aaron Deslatte on July 18, 2011 10:39 AM

TALLAHASSEE -- With staff leaving and fundraising drying up, Senate President Mike Haridopolos has released a statement saying he is dropping out of the U.S. Senate race and "rededicating" himself to his job as a presiding officer.

July 15, 2011

House D's ask feds to reject Florida's Medicaid reform expansion

> Posted by Aaron Deslatte on July 15, 2011 11:20 AM

TALLAHASSEE -- Florida House Democrats have sent a letter to the feds asking them to reject the state's request to privatize a large majority of the 2 million people currently enrolled in the Medicaid program, arguing it would be too risky an endeavor.

They made the same argument to no avail during the spring legislative session, when Gov. Rick Scott and GOP majorities approved a plan to shift much of the management of the $22 billion health-care program over to managed-care companies and private physician networks.

We write to express strong opposition to the forthcoming application CMS is expected to receive from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) seeking a new or significantly modified “Section 1115” Medicaid Research and Demonstration Waiver.

The Florida Legislature’s passage of House Bills 7107 and 7109 calling for the implementation of a new statewide experiment in Medicaid managed care requires AHCA to submit its waiver proposal to CMS by August 1, 2011. In addition, the State of Florida has requested CMS renew the 2006 waiver in the five pilot counties, which should be denied.

As Democratic ranking members on health care committees in the Florida House of Representatives, we have expressed serious concerns on the record with the statewide proposal in our respective committee and during extended floor debate in the Florida House of Representatives. We also bring to your attention the fact that every Democratic member in both chambers of the Florida Legislature voted against final passage of the legislation.

Specifically, we ask that CMS reject the state’s request for approval of the proposed statewide Medicaid managed care experiment for the following reasons:

The track record of Medicaid managed care and Medicaid HMOs in Florida is cause for very serious concern. This is particularly the case with the State’s current “Medicaid Reform” Pilot Program and Section 1115 waiver that authorizes it, which provides the foundation for the statewide managed care expansion authorized under the new legislation.

The current Medicaid Reform experiment has been plagued with problems over its five-year history. Now, the legislation calls for expansion of Medicaid managed care plans to all 67 counties and almost all groups of recipients by 2014. The experiment would require enrollment in capitated managed care plans, while giving those plans unprecedented flexibility to vary the amount, duration and scope of benefits in confusing and risky ways.

The new legislation builds on a failed managed care platform, expands its scope, introduces additional experimental elements and dramatically accelerates its implementation, but without resolving the outstanding problems and concerns of the current pilot.

Among our concerns, we have doubts about AHCA’s capacity to generate and analyze a complete set of validated patient encounter data in order to assess the effect of this Medicaid managed care experimentation on access to, quality of and cost-effectiveness of care. And although the legislation calls for plans that fail to meet standards to be penalized, it fails to include measures to protect recipients in the event that those standards are not met.

The legislation also abandons some important goals of the five-county pilot that have not been realized (e.g., patient education and empowerment), which seems to make the proposal less patient-centered while giving more latitude to capitated managed care plans.

Additionally, the legislation calls for a number of new elements that are not part of the five-county pilot that may imperil many vulnerable Floridians. These include, but are not limited to, such things as imposing exorbitant premium requirements on Medically Needy recipients with catastrophic medical needs, up to thousands of dollars per month.

In conclusion, we urge you reject the state’s forthcoming application for a new or modified Section 1115 Waiver that would expand or accelerate an untenably risky experiment to include millions of new and even more vulnerable patients. In addition, we feel that the 2006 waiver in the five pilot counties should expire this month.

Thank you in advance for your consideration of this important request.

July 14, 2011

Would House bill mean `dirty’ water in Florida?

> Posted by William Gibson on July 14, 2011 10:54 AM

The House voted late Wednesday to rein in the EPA’s power to second-guess state enforcement of clean-water standards in Florida and elsewhere, an action that could impact anti-pollution rules in the Everglades and South Florida waterways.

The bill is part of a broad legislative assault on the powers of the EPA. Many Republicans and a few Democrats say the agency is imposing unreasonable costs on states and communities and stifling economic growth.

Ted Deutch

“EPA has indeed created a regulatory nightmare that affects almost every state in the union,” said Congressman John Mica, a Republican from Winter Park.

On the other side, some Democrats and environmental groups say the legislation threatens attempts to remove fertilizer and other harmful pollutants and could undermine the goal of replenishing the Everglades.

South Florida Congressman Ted Deutch, a Democrat from Boca Raton, warned: “This legislation opens the door for Governor Rick Scott to roll back long-standing regulations protecting the 7 million Floridians who rely on the Everglades for safe, clean drinking water.”

President Obama has threatened to veto the bill -- passed by the House 239-184 Wednesday night -- saying it would roll back “40 years of progress in making the nation's waters fishable, swimmable and drinkable."

The bill would strip the EPA of authority to step in – after it has signed off on state plans -- if the agency believes states are failing to adequately protect resources under the Clean Water Act.

Audubon of Florida pointed to rulings by two federal judges asking EPA to use its oversight authority because of persistent pollution in Florida waters.

“This is a clear example where the state was given the responsibility to improve water quality and did not meet what they were supposed to do,” said Julie Hill-Gabriel, who tracks federal legislation for Audubon of Florida. “Doing away with that oversight is going to be especially damaging to Florida.”

“I am optimistic the Senate will understand that that is unacceptable.”

July 13, 2011

Wasserman Schulz celebrates softball win

> Posted by William Gibson on July 13, 2011 06:18 PM

On the floor of the House on Wednesday, South Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and her teammates on the women’s congressional softball team celebrated their victory last month in an exhibition game over the “Bad News Babes” of the Capitol Hill press corps.

The game drew 875 fans and raised more than $50,000 for young cancer survivors.

Wasserman Schultz, 44, who overcame breast cancer after a series of surgeries three years ago, hailed the game as a show of bipartisanship as well as a fundraiser for a charitable cause. The chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, holding a pink softball, was surrounded by teammates, including Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican from Miami.

The congressional women won the game 5 to 4, and Wasserman Schultz drove in the winning run with a line drive up the middle. The reporters demanded a rematch.

“We look forward to beating them again next year,” Wasserman Schultz said.

Bill Nelson: Exempt Social Security from debt ceiling

> Posted by William Gibson on July 13, 2011 05:35 PM

Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson unveiled a bill on Wednesday to keep Social Security checks flowing next month even if President Obama and Republicans cannot agree on a way to raise the debt ceiling.

Nelson’s bill would temporarily allow officials to not have to count Social Security as part of the limit on the nation’s debt.

Bill Nelson

He said a similar approach was passed by Congress in 1996 during a conflict between then-President Bill Clinton and the Republican-controlled Congress over funding for major programs.

Obama warned on Tuesday that Social Security payments may not go out next month if negotiators don't reach a deal to raise the debt limit above $14.3 trillion by Aug. 2. That's when the Treasury Department says the government will stop being able to borrow money and would default on its obligations.

“We should use what works and not play games with Social Security benefits,” Nelson said on the Senate floor.

“If in fact the president holds up their checks for Social Security and Medicare, and whatever else he wants to hold up to make his point, isn’t he admitting that all these programs are funded by deficit spending?” Rubio said on a conservative talk-show on Tuesday. “Isn’t he admitting that all these programs are dependent upon borrowed money?”

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 13, 2011 12:52 PM

“I am proud to announce the addition of Brian Ballard as a Florida Finance Co-Chair and a member of the National Leadership Team for Romney for President,” Romney said in a release. “Brian’s level of talent, expertise, and enthusiasm characterizes what is needed to beat President Obama in Florida.”

Ballard has long been known in Florida political circles. He is currently the president of Ballard Partners, Inc., a lobbying firm, and was the chief of staff to former Gov. Bob Martinez from 1998 to 1990. In 2008, he served as a fundraiser for the McCain for President campaign as well as the Republican National Committee's McCain Victory Florida Finance Committee. He also served as the Inaugural Committee Chairman for Gov. Charlie Crist and Gov. Rick Scott.

July 12, 2011

AARP pressures members on Medicare

> Posted by William Gibson on July 12, 2011 01:18 PM

AARP leaders and volunteers from Florida are pressuring members of Congress to protect Social Security and Medicare from “devastating cuts.”

They’ve set up a round of lobbying on Capitol Hill for Wednesday, including meetings with Florida Senators Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson and Congressman Dan Webster of Winter Garden.

The lobbying trip coincides with AARP’s multi-million-dollar TV ad campaign urging Congress to focus on cutting wasteful spending and closing tax loopholes rather than cut spending on Social Security and Medicare.

AARP is urging members to reinforce the message through mail, phone calls, e-mail and tele-townhall meetings.

President Barack Obama alarmed AARP other senior-citizen advocates by proposing to throw Social Security and Medicare on the bargaining table as part of a grand bargain with Republican leaders to raise revenue and restrain deficit spending.

Proponents of these programs hope to fend off cuts in benefits.

Taking part in the trip will be Jeff Johnson, AARP Florida interim state director, and Ken Reinhardt, executive council member.

RPOF wants to tell Rick Scott's story before Democrats do it

> Posted by Aaron Deslatte on July 12, 2011 11:01 AM

TALLAHASSEE -- More than three years before he would face re-election, the war to define Gov. Rick Scott with Florida voters is in full bloom, evidenced by the latest quarterly fundraising reports the state parties filed last night.

The political consultants, pollsters, new media gurus, and phone-banks that worked for his campaign were paid close to $500,000 over three months as Scott and the Republican Party of Florida kicked off an aggressive effort to better brand his administration and turn around early polling that suggested he was one of the least popular governors in America. That effort has included blanketing robo-calls to thousands of households and buying Web ads on popular political sites -- in addition to his daily appearances on conservative talk-radio.

RPOF Executive Director Andy Palmer said the governor has “a great story to tell the voters” about five straight months of declining unemployment, a balanced budget that included $205 million in property tax cuts, and his successful push to pass a bill cracking down on “pill mills.”

“The calls and web ads are a very efficient way to directly keep voters informed about what the governor and Republican leadership is doing to get our state back to work,” Palmer said.

But Florida Democrats appear to be banking on a darker version of Scott's job performance thus far. They claim his lagging popularity helped in the race to elect Democrat Alvin Brownas Jacksonville's first black mayor, and their annual conference last month in Broward was practically a Rick Scott bash-a-thon.

Florida Democratic spokesman Eric Jotkoff said the party was "driven by grassroots momentum to hold Rick Scott accountable for his job-destroying agenda."

July 11, 2011

Feds nudge states to implement health `exchanges'

> Posted by William Gibson on July 11, 2011 06:35 PM

Federal officials keep nudging states to implement a consumer marketplace for buying insurance under the controversial new health-care law, but Florida Republican leaders wish they would just go away.

The latest nudge came on Monday when Health and Human Services officials issued guidelines to help states implement consumer markets known as “exchanges.” They will offer one-stop shopping – online, by phone or in person -- for comparing prices and coverage plans when buying insurance.

Some states including Florida are dragging their feet, hoping the courts will declare the law unconstitutional. Gov. Rick Scott has refused to draw down $2 million of planning grants to set up a Florida version. A spokeswoman for the Agency for Health Care Administration confirmed on Monday that the state has no plans to create an exchange.

“Most of us in the Legislature are not inclined to do anything that would move ObamaCare toward implementation,” said state Senate health-care budget chief Joe Negron, R-Stuart. “I’m hopeful that the federal takeover of health care will be stopped and we can go back to the drawing board.”

Federal officials must, by law, step in to provide an exchange for all consumers if Florida or any state is not ready to start one by January 2014.

HHS leaders said on Monday their new rules are flexible and allow states a sliding timetable. If they aren’t prepared by 2014, states can create their own exchange at a later time.

Wasserman Schultz decries Everglades cut

> Posted by William Gibson on July 11, 2011 03:30 PM

South Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz objected on Monday to a House spending bill that “slashes $32 million” from the Obama administration’s request for Everglades restoration.

The bill, debated by the House on Monday, would leave $130 million for Everglades restoration in the Army Corps of Engineers budget, a significant reduction from $181 million in fiscal 2010. Some Everglades advocates say the funding will allow current construction to continue but could delay new contracts and the jobs they create.

“To be sure, Everglades restoration is a priority the Florida congressional delegation takes very seriously, and we have fought for adequate funding every year,” Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat from Weston, told the House. “Continued investment in Everglades restoration protects our water supply, benefits key job-creating industries, and enhances our quality of life.”

Mario Diaz-Balart of Miami, South Florida’s only representative on the Appropriations Committee, said he was grateful the Everglades got as much money as it did in the energy-and-water spending bill. He and other Republicans say that even worthy projects face cutbacks as Congress moves to reduce deficit spending.

Wasserman Schultz, who lost her seat on the committee after Democrats suffered a beating in the 2010 campaign, said she was especially troubled by a report that came with the bill.

The committee report noted that Everglades restoration has taken up more than 10 percent of the Army Corps' construction spending in recent years. It adds: "While the committee continues to support funding for Everglades restoration, this [10 percent] share of funding is not sustainable or equitable, particularly as overall construction funding trends downward."

Wasserman Schultz asked the committee to clarify the language, which she found “deeply disturbing.”

“I hope this language does not signal the committee’s intent to de-emphasize the importance of Everglades restoration in the future,” she said.

Allen West raised $1.5 million in three months

> Posted by William Gibson on July 11, 2011 02:32 PM

South Florida Congressman Allen West reported on Monday that he raised more than $1.5 million during the second quarter of this year, another sign of his ability to draw support from around the country.

According to West’s campaign, 23,500 individuals chipped in contributions. The average contribution since the start of the year was about $66.

West, a Republican from Plantation and a tea party favorite, raised $433,500 during the first quarter of the year.

The race for his congressional district – in coastal Broward and Palm Beach counties – almost certainly will be one of the most expensive in the country.

July 7, 2011

Allen West hails Obama on Social Security offer

> Posted by William Gibson on July 7, 2011 11:29 AM

President Obama’s willingness to make major changes to Social Security and Medicare as part of a budget agreement drew rare praise on Thursday from South Florida Congressman Allen West

Allen West

“I want to take this moment to commend President Obama for facing the facts that in order for us to bring our fiscal house in order, we need to take necessary steps to address mandatory spending such as Medicare and Social Security,” said West, a Republican from Plantation and a tea party favorite known for withering criticism of the president.

West was reacting to news reports that Obama has thrown Social Security and Medicare on the bargaining table as part of a potential deal to make substantial cuts in federal spending to rein in the national debt. Some Republicans, who see these entitlement programs as a major budget buster, welcomed a chance for reform.

“For too long individuals and special-interest groups have used these programs to demagogue and scare seniors in order to gain a political advantage,” West said. “President Obama says he finally realizes that to save these programs we need to make significant reforms, and I support his goals.”

Democratic Party groups have assailed West and other Republicans for proposing changes that critics say would undermine Social Security and Medicare. West says these programs can be changed for younger generations without affecting benefits for current recipients and those now 55 and older.

West said on Thursday he is willing to close tax loopholes as part of a budget deal, but he stressed the need for spending cuts.

July 6, 2011

PPP survey says Floridians like Dems a tad more than GOP, love the Gators

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 6, 2011 06:03 PM

A poll released by a left-leaning North Carolina polling shop Wednesday found that Florida voters are against the Ryan Medicare plan and aren't completely on board with gay marriage, but they love the Florida Gators.

Public Policy Polling surveyed 848 Florida voters from June 16 to June 19 with a margin of error for the survey at 3.4 percent.

* On gay marriage, 53 percent think it should remain illegal, while 37 percent support it. However, only 31 percent said there should be no legal recognition at all of same sex couples.

* Generally, Dems edge GOPers in a popularity contest. When asked to pick a party if there was an election for a U.S. House seat today, 45 percent said they would pick the Democrat and 40 percent said they would pick a Republican. Sixteen percent were unsure.

* On Florida universities with Division 1 football programs, 30 percent chose the Florida Gators as their favorites, while 19 percent showed love for the Florida State Seminoles. Eighteen percent of those surveyed said they weren't sure. University of Central Florida received 11 percent, University of Miami got 9 percent and University of South Florida got 6 percent. Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University rounded out the list with 5 percent and 1 percent respectively.

Tamiami bridge gets boost in Congress

> Posted by William Gibson on July 6, 2011 02:23 PM

Plans to build an additional 5.5 miles of bridging over Tamiami Trail got a boost on Wednesday when House appropriators agreed to approve spending on the project, which is considered vital to Everglades restoration.

Much-sought language to allow bridge spending was tucked into a bill that the interior appropriations subcommittee is expected to formally draft on Thursday.

Everglades advocates were delighted. They have long hoped to allow water to flow in wide sheets across Tamiami Trail in western Miami-Dade County to nurture Everglades National Park. Bridges that raise the roadbed and allow water to pass underneath are considered the most effective method.

‘Glades advocates also like this project because it provides obvious evidence that restoration creates jobs.

“If you drive down there now, you will see construction workers with hardhats, and you can see progress being made,” said Julie Hill-Gabriel, who tracks federal spending for Audubon of Florida.

She cited estimates that every $10 million spent on restoration creates 130 to 170 jobs.

Workers are expected to complete a one-mile bridge by 2014, under an $81 million contract. The language pending in Congress would clear the way for unspecified spending on another 5.5 miles of bridging.

Planning estimates range up to $300 million for the extended bridge. But costs for the one-mile bridge turned out to be far less than expected, raising hopes that the next phase can be done cheaply as potential contractors compete amid Florida’s economic downturn.

“The timing is critical,” Hill-Gabriel said. “Our hope is that we can have a seamless integration of the two projects and can move into the next stage of bridging right after the one-mile bridge is finished.”

Boca Raton lawmaker to file bill creating Caylee's Law

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 6, 2011 01:18 PM

In light of the not guilty verdict handed down by jurors yesterday in the Casey Anthony trial, Rep. Bill Hager, R-Boca Raton, announced he is drafting legislation to create "Caylee's Law."

The bill would make it a felony for a parent or legal guardian to fail to timely report a missing child, in cases where the parent knew or should have known that the child was possibly in danger.

“What we witnessed in the case of two year old Caylee Anthony was truly tragic. Placing a law on the books requiring parents and guardians to report missing children who are in significant danger in a timely manner will ensure that parents are held accountable for their actions. It will also assure that we put justice on the side of those among us who are most vulnerable. And finally, it will put an end to the kind of irresponsible and outrageous behavior we observed with Caylee's mother.” Hager said.

“Brian is a skilled communicator and campaign strategist,” said RPOF Chairman David Bitner in a news release. “I am excited to have him join our team as we prepare for Presidency 5 and the crucial 2012 elections.”

Hughes is the latest of several high profile departures from Scott's office. Chief of Staff Mike Prendergast was named the new executive director of the Department of Veterans' Affairs and chief Adviser Mary Anne Carter resigned so she could return home to her family in Tennessee.

Most Jewish voters `approve’ of Obama

> Posted by William Gibson on July 5, 2011 02:06 PM

A Gallup Poll conducted in June and released on Tuesday indicates that Jewish approval of President Obama’s performance has slipped, but not by much.

The June poll found that 60 percent of Jewish adults approved of Obama’s performance, while 32 percent disapproved. That’s a noticeable shift from his 68-percent approval rating in May, but not a statistically significant change from his rating of 64 percent in April.

Even a marginal shift in support could be significant in some key electoral states, especially the big swing state of Florida because of its large Jewish population and the possibility of a close election.

Republicans and some non-partisan political observers had speculated that Obama lost support from many Jewish voters, including Democrats, because of his controversial comments in May. In a widely publicized speech, Obama riled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by urging renewal of Middle East peace talks based on a return to Israel’s 1967 borders, with some land swaps.

South Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Jewish Democrat from Weston who heads the DNC, has defended the president’s stance.

Jewish support for the Democratic president remains high compared to the 46-percent approval rating from all American adults who were polled in June. His approval ratings from all groups in May had been relatively high following the discovery and death of Osama bin Laden.

Though the president still gets a solid majority from Jewish voters, the polling pattern shows his rating drooping considerably from the start of 2009, when 83 percent of Jewish voters and 66 percent of all adults approved of him.

Here’s the full Gallup report:

Solid Majority of Jewish Americans Still Approve of Obama

PRINCETON, NJ -- Jewish Americans gave President Barack Obama a 60% job approval rating in June, down from 68% in May, but statistically unchanged from 64% in April. Thirty-two percent of U.S. Jews now disapprove of the job Obama is doing, similar to their 30% average thus far in 2011.

Gallup's monthly trend in Jewish approval of Obama continues to roughly follow the path of all Americans' approval of the president, more generally, as it has since Obama took office in January 2009. The 14-percentage-point difference in the two groups' approval ratings in June -- 60% among U.S. Jews vs. 46% among all U.S. adults -- is identical to the average gap seen over the past two and a half years. However, the monthly graph is somewhat variable due to the lower monthly sample saize of Jewish respondents (around 350).

Approval among all Americans was elevated in May, but that was principally due to the rally in public approval of Obama following Osama bin Laden's death on May 1 which largely dissipated by mid-June.

Israel Speech Not a Watershed in Jewish Views Toward Obama

President Obama delivered a major speech at the State Department on May 19 in which he articulated his support for a settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on a return to Israel's 1967 borders. His remarks provoked a highly negative reaction from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as from many high profile supporters of Israel in government, politics, and media.

Gallup cannot say whether the speech had an immediate impact on the views of Jewish Americans toward the president nationally, as sample sizes for this group in Gallup Daily tracking are too small to isolate short time periods.

However, aggregated Gallup Daily tracking interviews for the month and half periods prior to and following the speech show no significant nor sustained shift in Jewish Americans' views toward Obama. Sixty-five percent approved of him for the April 1-May 18 time period, and 62% approved from May 19-June 30. Across the two time periods, approval was also essentially flat among all U.S. adults.

Gallup also finds no change in the views of the more than 300 Jewish Democrats interviewed in each period, with 86% approving of Obama prior to the speech and 85% after.
Jews who regularly attend synagogue are less supportive of Obama than those who attend less frequently or who are non-practicing -- reflecting the generally more conservative views of the former group. However, the degree to which each group supports Obama also did not change during the periods prior to and following the May 19 speech.

Bottom Line
The absence of a significant retreat in Jewish Americans' approval of Obama since his Mideast policy speech contrasts with a recent commentary by Ben Smith for Politico, titled "Obama May Be Losing the Faith of Jewish Democrats," in which he suggests a "tipping point" may have been reached with Jews who have long harbored concerns about the president's support of Israel. That conclusion, based on Smith's conversations with "center-left American Jews and Obama supporters -- and many of them Democratic donors" may apply to certain politically active members of the Jewish-American community, but according to recent Gallup trends, is not reflective of the views of Jewish AMericans more generally.

Survey Methods
Results are based on telephone interviews conducted as part of Gallup Daily tracking. The monthly averages reported here span from January 2009 through June 2011. Those based on national adults generally include more than 15,000 interviews and have a maximum margin of sampling error of ±1 percentage point. Monthly results based on Jewish Americans are generally based on more than 350 interviews with a maximum margin of sampling error of ±7 percentage points.

The pre-/post-May 19, 2011, results are based on over 21,000 interviews with national adults and roughly 500 adults with Jewish Americans. The national adult results have a maximum margin of sampling error of ±1 percentage point. The Jewish results have a maximum margin of sampling error of ±6 percentage points.

Interviews are conducted with respondents on landline telephones and cellular phones, with interviews conducted in Spanish for respondents who are primarily Spanish-speaking. Each sample includes a minimum quota of 400 cell phone respondents and 600 landline respondents per 1,000 national adults, with additional minimum quotas among landline respondents for gender within region. Landline telephone numbers are chosen at random among listed telephone numbers. Cell phones numbers are selected using random digit dial methods. Landline respondents are chosen at random within each household on the basis of which member had the most recent birthday.

Samples are weighted by gender, age, race, Hispanic ethnicity, education, region, adults in the household, and phone status (cell phone-only/landline only/both, cell phone mostly, and having an unlisted landline number). Demographic weighting targets are based on the March 2010 Current Population Survey figures for the aged 18 and older non-institutionalized population living in U.S. telephone households. All reported margins of sampling error include the computed design effects for weighting and sample design.

In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
For more details on Gallup's polling methodology, visit http://www.gallup.com/.

Scott's new aide says his personal email account will be public record

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 5, 2011 12:31 PM

TALLAHASSEE -- The new chief of staff to Gov. Rick Scott , Steve MacNamara, sent out a blanket email to his contacts from his personal account reminding them of his new job and the changes it might bring.

The message was clear: Starting July 5, any emails that aren't personal in nature will be immediately forwarded to his personal account and be subject to public record requests.

Several members of Scott's staff have used personal email accounts instead of state email accounts, even though the governor's office discourages them from doing so, frustrating open government advocates. When the Tallahassee-based First Amendment Foundation began making routine requests for email from the governor's staff shortly after Scott took office, it discovered that some messages from private accounts were not being turned over to them.

Jim Rhea, director of the First Amendment Foundation, said it bodes well that MacNamara is a lawyer and very familiar with public records law. The new chief of staff's resume includes stints as the top aide to Senate President Mike Haridopolos and former House Speaker-turned Senator John Thrasher. He's also worked at Florida State University for several years.

"I'm still at the wait and see point, but certainly having someone in that position who's had years of experience with public records holds promise," Rhea said.

Here's MacNamara's e-mail:
*******
As you may already know, beginning July 5, 2011 I will be joining Governor Rick Scott’s office as his Chief of Staff. In that position I will be strictly bound by Florida’s public records laws. Beginning on that date, any emails sent to me at this address that are not strictly personal in nature and relate to any state business will routinely be forwarded by me to my state email account and may be subject to disclosure under Florida law. Emails commenting on what a great job I am doing as the Governor’s COS would be greatly appreciated and will immediately be made available to the Capital Press Corp.
Thanks…

DROP gets lots of new members with pension changes

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 5, 2011 11:21 AM

TALLAHASSEE -- Applications to the state's deferred retirement program, known as DROP, spiked leading up July 1, when major changes to the public pension plan took effect.

The numbers haven't been tallied yet, but state Department of Management Services Kris Purcell said it is "safe to say significantly higher than most years and higher than last year."

After a heated debate during the Legislature's 60-day session over changes to public employees' retirement plans, lawmakers and Gov. Rick Scott signed off on a plan that made a number of changes including the benefits received by employees in DROP.

DROP allows employees to essentially retire and then work for another five years. Instead of giving the employee new retirement benefits, the state pays interest on the pension benefits already accrued. Because of the changes approved by the Legislature, the amount of interest will change from 6.5 percent to 1.3 percent for any member whose DROP is effective on or after July 1, 2011.

Rep. Alan Williams, D-Tallahassee, who represents a large chunk of public employees, sent out a press release mid-June urging eligible workers to enter the system and take advantage of the higher interest rate so they would have more money for their retirement.

"Retiring under the new rules will force many to turn to other government assistance programs for the help they need to survive in retirement years," Williams said in the release. "The result will be more stress on a system that is likely to see more cuts from Gov. Scott's administration."

The changes to DROP were just a small part of the GOP-led Legislature's overall changes to the retirement system. Public employees will now also have to contribute 3 percent of their pay to their retirement after working under a non contributory system for years.

The Florida Education Association has sued Scott and other state officials to overturn the law. A Leon County circuit judge will hear the case in October.

July 1, 2011

How do you feel about Scott's SunRail decision?

> Posted by Kathleen Haughney on July 1, 2011 11:50 AM

TALLAHASSEE -- Press releases are flowing in from capital area interest groups and politicians over Gov. Rick Scott's decision to green light the SunRail commuter rail project that he put on hold earlier this year. Republican-leaning groups commended the decision, but Democrats called it partisan politics and continued their criticism of the governor's decision earlier this year to turn down billions in federal dollars to build a high speed rail system.

Here's what we've collected so far:

Associated Industries of Florida Lobbyist Jose Gonzalez
“SunRail is a critical element to Florida’s transportation future – paving the way for increased commerce, economic opportunity, more jobs and relief for Central Florida commuters contending with some of the state’s most congested highways. It is a vision for which Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) has strongly advocated over the years and will finally come to fruition thanks to the foresight of Gov. Rick Scott and the leadership of the Florida Department of Transportation."

Florida Chamber of Commerce President Mark Wilson
“SunRail is a smart infrastructure investment. This is another example of Gov. Scott and the legislature putting Florida’s long-term goals ahead of the short-term interests of a few.”

Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Scott Arceneaux
“By approving the SunRail project today, Rick Scott made it clear that he killed high-speed rail and the 71,000 job-years the project would have created as a partisan ploy to attack the President."

State Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa

“Gov. Scott used all the right arguments to green light the wrong rail project. His support had nothing to do with good policy, good logic, or the good of Floridians. But it had everything to do with hypocrisy and allegiance to his Republican brethren.”

WILLIAM E. GIBSON, the Sun Sentinel’s Washington correspondent for 27 years, has covered seven presidential elections and 14 sessions of Congress, always with South Florida readers in mind.

Originally from the Kansas City area, he lived in New Mexico, New York and Fort Lauderdale before moving to Washington. Along the way, he studied journalism at the University of Kansas and Columbia University.